Arizona has applied for $1 billion in federal funding to stabilize rural health systems already under pressure from workforce shortages, low reimbursement rates, and growing patient demand. The move comes as Gov. Katie Hobbs and rural hospital leaders brace for deeper challenges tied to President Donald Trump’s new budget package,...
In a report released this week by the HHS Office of Inspector General, the leading federal agency focused on combating healthcare fraud emphasized the OIG's audits, evaluations, and investigations consistently identify a high risk of fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare Advantage risk adjustment program, which provides higher...
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission admits the inconsistency is "hard to reconcile with rural hospital administrators' strong preference for fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare over Medicare Advantage (MA)" as it reports "no statistically significant effects on rural hospital finances through 2023."
The commission's staff visited...National News
President Donald Trump wasted no time after being sworn in on Monday to issue a sweeping executive order rolling back dozens of President Joe Biden's priorities. Republican lawmakers also have a number of healthcare program cuts, including the elimination of non-profit hospitals to fund the new administration's agenda.
The "initial...
The American Hospital Association, which represents the interests of hospitals, published its annual report on the latest data and trends in the healthcare field and The Office of Inspector General takes issue with the costs of swing beds in the country's critical access hospitals.
The AHA's report, 2025 Environmental Scan, covers the...
This data edition offers a critical snapshot of Arizona’s hospitals and health systems, providing key insights into financial performance, market footprints, and quality ratings that are shaping the future of care in the state.
In this exclusive data edition, members of The Hertel Report will find comprehensive data on hospital...
Arizona is projected to struggle with the ongoing national nursing workforce shortage into 2025 and beyond.
The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis has predicted that Arizona will experience a shortage of 28,100 fewer registered nurses than needed by 2025, which will be the largest disparity in the country. According to...National News
Last week, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the topic of "cracking down on deceptive practices" related to the advertisement of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans.
The hearing covered a long list of issues with third-party marketers who represent MA plans, including allegations of false information, harassment, switching...
Rural hospitals experience unique issues as providers across the medical industry, and specifically in regards to Medicare Advantage (MA). Plan availability, the structure of available plans, and difficulties with processing payments are all reasons rural health systems are increasingly fighting MA.
A new study by Milliman highlights...
A group of 12 Democratic State Attorneys including Arizona's Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit last Thursday asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to remove prescription and dispensation restrictions on mifepristone.
The attorneys general argue that removing the FDA restrictions would increase access to...
The American Hospital Association (AHA) ran a survey of 300 hospitals and health systems to determine the overall impact of cuts made to the 340B prescription drug pricing program. It found an enormous financial impact on struggling hospitals, specifically those in rural and underserved areas.
The 340B drug pricing program requires...
On July 26, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule that included new payment model for rural emergency hospitals (REH). The designation seeks to alleviate financial disturbance in the continuity of care provided in areas with limited medical resources by shifting from an inpatient bed model to...
On June 30, 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a new provider type developed for Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and certain rural hospitals to help them avert potential closure and provide support for the essential services they provide to the communities they serve.
A Rural Emergency Hospital ...CMS Rules
This year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement a lower physician supervision requirement for hospital outpatient therapeutic services. CMS has required direct supervision of services such as, chemotherapy and radiation therapy for the past decade.
The change was finalized in November 2019, making...
